The present invention relates to a toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser combined as a unit and in which the dispenser is arranged to deliver toothpaste to the toothbrush, and more particularly, to a portable and self-contained tooth cleaning unit designed to be readily carried in the pocket of a user.
Toothpaste dispensers fitted with toothbrushes are well-known. Typical examples of such devices are described in GB-A-2067396, U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,648 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,552. In each of these prior devices, the toothpaste dispenser or container constitutes the handle and the toothbrush projects from one end of the container. A passageway extends along the shaft of the toothbrush to deliver paste, dispensed from the container, to the toothbrush head at the back of the bristles. The toothpaste is dispensed by advancing a piston or nut, disposed within the container, along a leadscrew in response to manually turning a knob connected to the leadscrew at the end of the container remote from the toothbrush. A valve may be provided for controlling the flow of toothpaste to the brush and the latter may be arranged to be replaceable.
The known devices are merely directed to providing a supply of toothpaste in combination with a toothbrush and are not concerned with a self-contained tooth cleaning system which may be readily carried in a user's pocket so that the user may conveniently clean his or her teeth at any desired time. They are not foldable, collapsable or otherwise designed to be compact so that they can be conveniently carried.